e2. Multiple Species Grass-Finished for Direct Marketing
In this episode, we talk with Jonathan Kilpatrick of Bent Tree Farms about their operation and grass management.
Jonathan Kilpatrick manages Bent Tree Farms—a 780-acre, multi-species, grass-based operation producing beef, lamb, and pastured poultry. In this episode, Jonathan shares what he’s learned managing a complex, regenerative system in the challenging rainfall patterns of southeastern Oklahoma. We dig into forages, stockpiling strategies, multi-species management, finishing beef on grass, and the practical realities of running a farm largely solo.
You’ll hear how Jonathan has shifted from drilling annuals to managing a rich perennial polyculture, why he now treats clover like a key ally, the challenges and rewards of keeping cattle and sheep together, and the detailed strategies he uses to stretch stockpile through winter while minimizing hay.
If you want real-world insight from someone doing the work day in and day out—this is a great conversation.
Topics Covered
- Operation overview and forages on Bent Tree Farms
- Moving away from drilled annuals toward perennial management
- Why 2024 was the “Clover Year”
- Hay feeding strategies (rolling vs rings)
- Stockpiling fescue and stretching winter forage
- Using leader-follower and daily moves for finishing beef
- Running sheep and cattle together (and why the guardian dogs complicate it)
- Managing fencing for multi-species grazing
- Lambing management and annual cycle
- Grazing for energy vs grazing for landscaping
- Jonathan’s lessons on performance, residuals, and leaving more behind
Why You Should Listen
Jonathan brings a practical, grounded, and honest view into what it takes to manage a regenerative grazing operation in real life—not theory. His reflections on animal performance, forage diversity, stockpile strategies, and multi-species grazing offer tools you can use today. Grass finishers, sheep producers, and anyone thinking about expanding their grazing toolbox will take away something valuable.
Resources Mentioned
- Kick the Hay Habit — Jim Gerrish
- Bent Tree Farms — https://benttreefarmsok.com
- Bent Tree Farms on Instagram & Facebook (benttreefarmsok)
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